A Marine's Death by Friendly Fire Haunts Afghanistan Outpost

By

Michael M. Phillips

November 19, 2011

SHIR GHAZAY, Afghanistan—Capt. Matthew Stiger stood facing the battlefield memorial made of a rifle, helmet, boots and Benjamin Schmidt's dog tags. In the long afternoon shadows, he prayed Lance Cpl. Schmidt's family would get through the hard days to come. He saluted in a slow, deliberate motion.

And, in a voice only he could hear, Capt. Stiger begged forgiveness from the dead Marine, a 24-year-old sniper his men had mistakenly...